CASE STUDY 04
Ranchi’s Waste into Resource
Turning Ranchi’s Waste into Resource: A Tale of Transformation (2016-2021)
In the heart of Jharkhand lies Ranchi, a city bustling with life, tradition, and rapid urbanization. As the population swelled to 1.47 million by 2021, Ranchi’s skyline grew taller, and so did the piles of waste generated by its citizens. Like many Indian cities, Ranchi faced a mounting challenge: how to effectively manage the growing heaps of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) threatening to engulf its streets and corners.
This is where InfraEn stepped in. From 2016 to 2021, InfraEn became the silent force behind one of the most critical transformations the city has ever seen — the revolution of solid waste management. But the road to a cleaner, more sustainable Ranchi was not without its hurdles.
The Beginning: Ranchi’s Struggle with Waste
Imagine Ranchi, a city generating over 146,000 tonnes of MSW annually—that’s approximately 58 grams per person, per day. Waste was everywhere, and despite the city’s best efforts, improper waste disposal was becoming a serious issue. As Ranchi grew, so did the complexity of its waste problem. It wasn’t just household garbage; there was construction debris, metal scraps, plastic waste, and hazardous materials, all mixed together, littering the landscape.
The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC), fully aware of the pressing issue, decided it was time for a change. The city needed a solution—a plan to manage the waste from doorsteps to disposal, from streets to landfills. RMC selected operators to take charge of waste collection and management. But overseeing this massive, multi-layered process needed a guiding hand, a team with the expertise to ensure the city’s vision became a reality.
That is when InfraEn (India) Private Limited was chosen to be the Project Management Consultant (PMC), tasked with supervising and monitoring every phase of the solid waste management project.
InfraEn’s Role: Laying the Foundations for Change
In a city spread across 7974 square kilometers, keeping track of waste management was no easy feat. Ranchi was grappling with an unsustainable system, and the improper disposal of waste was threatening the environment and public health. With the Solid Waste Management Rules of 2016 as a framework, InfraEn’s goal was clear: to ensure the safe, efficient, and environmentally sound management of Ranchi’s waste.
Over the five years, InfraEn meticulously supervised the activities of the selected operators, from primary waste collection to secondary transportation, processing, and eventual disposal. The project focused on several key areas:
Door-to-door waste collection: Operators collected waste directly from households across the city’s 79 wards, ensuring that waste was sorted and picked up regularly.
Technological integration: By implementing GPS tracking for waste collection vehicles, InfraEn ensured real-time monitoring of the system, minimizing delays and ensuring accountability.
Segregation at source: InfraEn advocated for increased use of color-coded dustbins for efficient separation of dry and wet waste. The more Ranchi’s residents embraced this practice, the easier it became to manage the waste downstream.
Overcoming Obstacles: Urban Growth and Waste Management
As Ranchi continued to grow, so did the challenges associated with solid waste management. The city’s rapid urbanization and industrialization meant that waste generation wasn’t just rising—it was becoming more varied and complex. InfraEn and its team of experts had to navigate these shifting dynamics.
From 400 metric tonnes of waste generated daily, the types of waste ranged from biodegradable kitchen scraps to toxic and hazardous materials, construction debris, and electronic waste. InfraEn’s strategies evolved to meet these growing needs, from improved collection techniques to promoting recycling, composting, and energy recovery.
More than just waste collection, the emphasis was on environmental sustainability. Every tonne of waste that was properly segregated, processed, and disposed of in Ranchi meant fewer dangerous gases and leachates seeping into the environment.
A Cleaner Ranchi: The Impact of InfraEn’s Work
By the time 2021 rolled around, Ranchi’s streets were looking cleaner. What had once been a chaotic waste disposal system was now a streamlined, organized process.
One of the key victories of the project was mechanical road sweeping—a far cry from the traditional methods once used in the city. This system not only made streets cleaner but also minimized dust pollution, improving air quality in a city known for its beautiful yet delicate natural surroundings on the Chota Nagpur Plateau.
Moreover, InfraEn’s efforts ensured that Ranchi’s solid waste no longer simply disappeared into sprawling landfills. Waste-to-energy initiatives began turning trash into power, and composting transformed organic waste into valuable fertilizer for the region’s agricultural needs.
The project’s success wasn’t just about cleaning up Ranchi. It was about laying the groundwork for a long-term sustainable solution, ensuring that the city’s rapid growth wouldn’t come at the expense of its environment or public health.
The Road Ahead
Ranchi’s journey in solid waste management is far from over. The city continues to grow, and with it, the challenge of keeping its waste in check. But with the systems that InfraEn helped put in place, the city is on a path towards a cleaner, greener future.Ranchi’s journey in solid waste management is far from over. The city continues to grow, and with it, the challenge of keeping its waste in check. But with the systems that InfraEn helped put in place, the city is on a path towards a cleaner, greener future.
The story of Ranchi’s waste management revolution underlines a powerful lesson: that sustainable change is possible when vision meets expertise. Thanks to InfraEn’s leadership and RMC’s determination, the people of Ranchi can now look towards a future where waste is no longer a burden but a resource—one that powers the city forward.
